Construction of sheet-piling, &amp;c.



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PATENTED SEPT. 17, 1907.`

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APPLICATION FILED IB. 18, 1907.

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FRANK .W. SKINNER, OF TOMPKINSVILLE, NEW YORK.

CONSTRUCTION OF SHEET-FILING, &c.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented sept. 17, 1907.

Application filed February 16,1907. Serial No. 357,775.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK W. SKINNER, a citizen of the United States,residing at #50 Sherman avenue, Tompkinsville, in the county of Richmondand State of New York, have invented a new and useful lmprovement forthe Construction of Sheet-Filing or other substructure-Work Below "theSurface of the Ground, oi` which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to appliances or forming a trench or cavity belowthe surface oi the ground for the reception of sheet piles, successiveunits of other forms of sheeting or portions of other structures.

The principal elements are a series of driving units, generallyduplicates, each oi which in its simplest form consists essentially oftwo detachable sides and a removable core. The units being drivensuccessively in a continuous line, displace their volume of earth andform a structure, usually temporary, of any required length, height andthickness, the latter being small in comparison with the othei`dimensions. After the units. are driven the cores can be withdrawn,leaving two parallel walls separated by an interior space of thethickness oi the core in which sheet piles or other members can beplaced or another structure formed. All the principal parts of the unitsare sep Y arable and removable, but the cores, which may be singlepieces or composed oi several pieces, may be solid or hollow, and maycompletely or partially fill the space between the side pieces, areremoved iirst, having served merely to separate and space the outsidepieces and strengthen them during driving. The outer or side pieces maybe oi any suitable material, as wood or steel; theymay be iat or curvedplates, or rolled or riveted sections; and they may overlap, engage eachother, be interlocked, be driven in Contact or may be driven withalternate spaces between them.

Heretofore it has been impossible to make an extremely narrow earthtrench of great depth, and all trenches have been made by directexcavation, the sheeting when required, being done by separate andindependent operations on opposite sides. By this invention the trenchis formed without excavation, the earth being displaced without removal,by the. driving units, and a great advantage being often derived by thecompression or" the soil in driving. This single operation also providessheeting or 'both sides of the trench and enables the core to bewithdrawn without its place being filled by earth pressed in from theoutside as would be done if single piece units were driven andwithdrawn. Great economy results 'from the combined formation andsheeting of the trench, simultaneously, at a single operation and fromthe ability to make the driving units so small uand so strong that theycan easily be driven in very hard ground and under conditions where itwould be impossible to construct ordinary trenching as well as inquicksand where they can be driven with the greatest ease, in both casesproviding for the ultimate assembling of much wider and lighterpermanent units oi construction than could be placed independently, andsecuring the iinal results at a small part of the cost by any othermethod known to me.

Figure l is an end elevation, Fig. 2 is a side elevation at X X, andFig. 3 isa transverse section at Y` Y, of the simplest form of drivingunit composed oi three pieces a solid ull size core, l and two sidepieces 2 2. Fig. 4 is an end view oi two such units driven in sequence.Fig. 5 is a transverse section through the lower end of a unit providedwith a driving point or shoe. Fig. 6 is an end elevation oi a unit inwhich the core is composed oi two separate pieces and the side piecesare stiftened with flanges and have web projections to engage theadjacent unit. Figs. 7, 8, 9, and l() are end i elevations oi successivegroups of units driven in sequence and show the serial operations andconditions of driving and redriving the successive units and insertingsheet piles or other construction in the spaces vacated by their cores.Fig. 1l is a top view and Figi l2 is a transverse section on V, of theoutside members of several units after part oi the cores have beenwithdrawn and they are braced and separated by special appliances. Fig.13 is a plan and Fig. 14 is a transverse section on T T, of the sidepieces of several units driven in sequence and alined after thewithdrawal oi the cores, by horizontal `beams separated by wedges.

In all igures the same parts are indicated by the same referencenumbers.

In Figs. l 2 3 and 4 each driving unit consists oi two side pieces 2 2,separated by a solid core detachably connected to them at top andbottom. The side pieces are preierably of a cross section adapted tosecure strength and rigidity without causing unnecessary friction ordisplacement in driving. The lower ends may be square or beveled asshown to draw against the preceding unit as driven. The core, ofapproximately the.

same width as the side pieces, may be placed with its edges flush withtheirs, or preferably as shown, may be setA with one edge projectingbeyond the corresponding edges of the side pieces to form a tongueengaging the groove formed by the opposite edges of the correspondingdriving unit. The core may project beyond the lower edge of the sidepieces to form a pilot or cutting edge, or it may be even with them orthey may project beyond it and be bent together so as to draw togetheras driven and so hold firm and close to the core even without astenings.The lower endsl of the core and side pieces may be secured togetherduring driving by detachable clamps or by a cap, 4, or shoe whichremains in the ground when -the other members of the driving unit arewithdrawn. The upper ends of the core and side pieces may be securedtogether during driving by bolts 3, or detachable clamps removed whenthe core is withdrawn. Bolts, 5 5, keys, or wedges may engage holesthrough their' flanges to maintain the alinement and connect successiveside pieces after the core are withdrawn.

In Fig. 5, the detachable shouldered driving point or shoe, 6, isadapted to separate the side pieces 2 2, after the core 1, is withdrawnand is held rmly in position during driving by U-bar clamps, 7, whichmay engage grooves in the shoe to prevent their displacement.

In Fig. 6, projecting web plates 8 8, are riveted to the side pieces 22, to engage the side pieces of the adjacent driving unit and providepermanent connection with it after the cores are withdrawn. The coresare made with a plurality of separate sections, 9 9, which are moreeasily withdrawn than a single-piece core. The open space inclosedbetween the core sections and the side pieces is closed at the lower endto exclude earth and other materials, by a cap, filler or shoe which maybe similar to 6 in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 shows two units like that of Fig. G, driven in. sequence and oneof its core sections removed and a wedge or separator, ll, driven in itsplace between the upper ends of the side pieces to maintain them intheir proper relative positions and resist the earth pressure.

Fig. 8 is an end view of three similar units driven in sequence withasecond core section replaced by a second wedge, 12, and the rst wedge11, withdrawn to permit the entrance of a section of permanent sheetpiling, 13, in the space between the side pieces.

Fig. 9 shows the fourth operation and is an end view of four unitsdriven in sequence, a third core section has been removed and a secondunit, 14, of sheet piling has been inserted between the side pieces andinterlocked with the preceding unit 13. Fig. 10 is also an end view ofour units driven in sequence and shows the fifth operation. The firstdriving unit has been withdrawn and redriven in engagement with thefourth unit, leaving the rst unit oi permanent sheet piling permanentlyset in the ground and backtilled if necessary. The succeeding operationsare merely repetitions of those already described and consist ofwithdrawing the units from the rear of the line and redriving thm infront as the cores are removed and successive units of the permanentstructure are assembled in the spaces between the side pieces.

In Fig. l1 the side pieces 2 2, oi several units driven in engagementare united by pins 5 5 etc. which are connected by links 16 16 etc. tohorizontal stifiening beams 17 17. The opposite side pieces may beseparated by some of the core sections, 9 9 left in position, by wedges11 1l, driven between their upper ends, by jack screws 15 15, by struts,or by other suitable separators between the horizontal beams, thusleaving some or all of the driving units with unobstructed interiorcavities. In Figs. 13 and 14 the upper ends of the side pieces|2 2,directly engage the flanges of the stifening beams 17-17 and areseparated by wedges 11, 11, driven between the latter.

I do not wish to limit the details oi my driving units to the exactforms shown in the gures, but intend to cover the use of any suitablecombination of detachable pieces forming a solid or hollow driving unitwith removable members which can be withdrawn to pro-l vide an interiorspace for setting or assembling a more permanent structure andprotecting it from the earth until completed, as well as obviating thenecessity of driving the permanent structure and avoiding the danger andinjury to the latter that is often caused by impact, interference withobstructions and severe mechanical treatments incident to other methodsof constructing sheet piling and other kinds oi subterranean structures.Various modications may be made in the character and details of thecores and side pieces, in the form and arrangement oi the shoe or point,and method of securing it, in the connection of the tops of successiveunits, and in the means oi stifening them laterally and oi maintainingthe spacing between those on opposite sides of the trench afterwithdrawal of the cores. cient types by which the operations can beeffected.

I claim:

l. A driving unit with a substantially rectangular cross section made ofa core and a plurality of separate detachable parts on two oppositesides and adapted to form and maintain a cavity in the ground.

A driving unit with a substantially rectangular cross section made witha core and a plurality of detachable parts on twor opposite sidesadapted to form and maintain temporarily a cavity in the ground, andafterwards to be withdrawn and used again.

A sectional driving unit made with a core and a plurality of detachableparts adapted to be driven in engagement with another' unit and toprovide with the latter a continuous open interior space with theexterior materials excluded by the outside sections of the units.

el. A driving unit essentially consisting of a sectional box withaclosed cross section and detachable sides and bottom, adapted to engagean adjacent driving unit.

5. A driving unit essentially consisting of a sectional trough withrectangular cross section and detachable sides and bottom, adapted toengage on the open side with an adjacent driving unit.

G. A driving unit of rectangular cross section with a core and aplurality of longitudinal sections on two opposite sides detachablyconnected and adapted to be driven together.

7. A driving unit of rectangular cross section with a plurality oflongitudinal sections detachably connected and adapted to be withdrawnseparately.

8. A driving unit made with a plurality of longitudinal sections part ofwhich may be detached and independently withdrawn, leaving an interiorcavity.

9. In a driving unit a plurality of side pieces with their verticaledges interlocking with the vertical edges of adjacent units.

10. The combination in piling, of driving units each having a pluralityof side pieces With their edges overlapping those of adjacent units.

11. The combination in piling, of driving units each having a pluralityof side pieces and projections thereon adapted to engage adjacent units.

'12. lhe combination in piling, of driving units each h aving adetachable projecting core adapted to engage a recess in an adjacentdriving unit.

13. The combination in piling,y of driving units, cores therefor, anddetachable side pieces of said units projecting beyond said cores andadapted to form jaws to receive the projecting detachable core of anadjacent driving unit.

14. The combination in driving units, of4 detachable side piecesthereof, and detachable core sections arranged to project beyond theedges of said side pieces on one side and located within their edges onthe opposite side and being adapted to form temporary tongue and groovejoints between adjacent driven units.

15. The combination in a driving unit of side pieces, a core and adetachable shoe adapted to separate the lower The ligures shownillustrate simple and efiends of said side pieces and provided withmeans for engaging the lower ends thereof.

1G. In a driving unit a detachable shoe closingthe spaces between thelower ends of the side pieces.

17. In a driving unit detachable clamps adapted to temporarily securethe shoe to the side pieces.

1S. In a driving unit temporary detachable separators between the upperends of the side pieces.

19. In piling, detachable horizontal side pieces adapted to give lateralstrength to and connect a series of driving units,

20. In a driving unit the combination of a plurality of detachable sidepieces and a solid temporary removable core.

21. ln a driving unit, the combination of a plurality of detachable sidepieces, a detachable core and a detachable shoe.

22. ln a driving; unit the combination of a plurality of side pieces, adetachable core and a shoe.

2?. In a drivingl unit the combination of a plurality of detachable sidepieces, a detachable core, a detachable shoe and detachable clamps,

24. The combination in piling of successive drivin?, units and lateralconnections temporarily securing,` them together.

25. The combination in piling of successive driving units and exteriorstiftening,l pieces.

2G. The combination in piling, of driving units, a plurality of sidepieces therefor, and separators between the upper ends thereof.

27. The combination o1 sectional driving,r units each comprising aplurality ot detachable parts adapted to form a line ot' parallel`opposite sides and exclude earth and other material from the continuonsopen spaces between said sides.

28. The combination in piling of a plurality of sec tional drivingunits, each comprising detachable sides, and cores, said units arrangedin sets, and said units beingl adapted to forni walls with open interiorspaces closed at the ends and continuous through several of said units.

2f). The combination in piling,` units, of side pieces, and detachableseparators, and shoes adapted to connect and strengthen said sidepieces, and together with said side pieces to exclude outside materialsfrom the interior of said units.

FRANK W. SKINNER.

Witnesses:

ALANsoN SKINNER, R. S. SniNNnn.

